Lakeland vs Winter Haven
Lakeland, Florida versus Winter Haven, Florida: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lakeland edges out Winter Haven on overall objective livability (62 vs 53 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lakeland | Winter Haven |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $208k | $221k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.85% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 4.82% | 5.62% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 61°F | 62°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3 in | 51.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 222 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 133 days | 134 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.2 | 46.5 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.1 | 35.1 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 1040/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 1645/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 114,404 | 50,778 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 57.7% | 47.3% |
| Black (%) | 19.2% | 25.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.8% | 21.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 2.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 36 mi | 38 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.0% | 82.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.63 | 21.86 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lakeland or Winter Haven more affordable?
- Winter Haven has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Lakeland's $49k and Winter Haven's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Lakeland versus $1k in Winter Haven.
- Is Lakeland or Winter Haven safer?
- Lakeland has the lower violent crime rate. Lakeland reports 0/100k and Winter Haven reports 1040/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lakeland or Winter Haven?
- The median home value is $208k in Lakeland and $221k in Winter Haven, so homes are more affordable in Lakeland.